Re: (TFT) Hedge Wizardy and industrial magic

[ErolB1@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/18/2003 10:48:47 PM Central Daylight Time, pvk@oz.net 
writes:

> Similarly, farmers who can scrape up or eventually pay $500 will probably 
> tend to invest in more natural and profitable investments such as more 
> land, equipment, livestock, seed, tools, etc. 

Sure. A Light item only makes sense if you spend more than $1 per week on 
lamp oil and candles. Joe Peasant may well not qualify. But a student, clerk, 
scholar, or shopkeeper likely *would* qualify. Even a farmer of above-average 
prosperity might qualify, especially if he has Literacy. 

> How many farmers know about 
> Light items? 

All of them. Even if magic is rare, it's not secret, and the farmers would 
not be inclined to be skeptical about it. They'd be more likely to 'know' about 
items that *don't* exist rather than ignorant of ones that do. 

> How many farmers know enough economics and math to think of 
> saving expenses on lamp oil?

They don't have to all figure it out independently. Nor do they have to 
figure it out right away. Once one of them figures it out, he can share the answer 
with his neighbors. And after a few centuries, or even a few decades, it 
becomes conventional wisdom. 

--
Erol K. Bayburt
ErolB1@aol.com
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